Labourer falls to death from 20th floor of under-construction tower in Mumbai; 2 civil contractors among 4 booked

According to the police, the labourer was not provided with the required safety equipment, and the site engineer and safety officer were also not present at the site when the accident took place.

A police officer said they all knew that their act could lead to someone’s death, hence they have been booked on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

On Sunday evening, Shukur Kamraj Shaikh fell from the 20th floor of an under-construction building at Reliable Enterprises, Kalapani Junction, Byculla (West). Shaikh was rushed to the Nair Hospital, where he was declared dead during treatment.

On receiving the information, the Agripada police Sub-Inspector Mukesh Shirsath reached the spot and started recording the statements of the witnesses.

One of Shaikh’s co-workers told Shirsath that Shaikh was working with him on the 20th floor and while giving blocks (bricks), he fell down on the balcony area of the second floor. The witness also said that no safety equipment like a harness, safety belt, or safety helmet was provided to Shaikh.

Shaikh was not a registered labourer, and no insurance cover was given to him by the company, stated the FIR.

When the police recorded the statement of the owner of civil contractor Unique Infracare Furkan Abraham, he said his company had provided harnesses, safety belts, and safety helmets, but Shaikh did not wear them.

Based on the statements of witnesses, the Agripada police have registered a case under sections 304-II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Unique Infracare’s owners Furkan Abraham and Rohan Raut, site engineer Mujammil Shaikh, and labour contractor Nasir Shaikh.

The police are also recording the statements of other witnesses and investigating the matter further.